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The Associated Press reported on Monday that the Ohio Ethics Commission has warned a member of the state's oil and gas commission that his consulting work with energy companies could present a conflict of interest.

The warning went to Robert Chase, a professor of petroleum engineering at Marietta College. He also operates a private consulting firm, Chaseland LLC, that deals with landowners and energy companies seeking to lease land.

His firm has dealt with some of the biggest players in Ohio's Utica shale: Chesapeake Energy, Anadarko, Marathon, Exxon and Chevron, according to information Chase submitted to the ethics panel.

The ethics commission said Ohio's ethics rules would block Chase from participating in any commission decision involving a group he negotiated with or a company that paid him for his services.

Chase told the Associated Press he saw nothing unexpected in the advisory. He sadi he was prepared to recuse himself if necessary.